Various injuries, such as certain athletic injuries, are commonly treated by wrapping an elastic bandage around the injured region. The elastic bandage aids the injured region by supporting it and by applying compressive forces to it.
Certain athletic injuries are also commonly treated by adding heat to, or removing heat from, the injured region. Heat removal can be accomplished in many different ways such as by applying cold packs which include ice, refrigerant gel, or materials which react endothermically. Heat can be added in various ways such as by applying a hot pack which includes materials capable of reacting exothermically or by using an electric heating pad.
The prior art includes a cold wrap usable to apply refrigerant gel to an injured region; however, this cold wrap does not provide the desired compressive forces to the injured region. It is also known to apply ice to an injured region by wrapping the ice and an elastic bandage around the injured region. However, the use of this procedure is greatly limited by the mess created by the melting ice.